Michaela Meade
The Altona Gators’ women’s team will be sorely disappointed if they don’t get the chance to shine in the Big V division 2 finals.
This season is the team’s first returning to the Big V competition since the league dropped them in 2017, and the Gators have shone throughout, currently sitting comfortably at the top of the ladder.
The Gators have won 12 games this season, and only lost two.
They are ahead of second place, Sherbrooke, by one point.
Despite the Gators’ strong performance, they may not walk away with a trophy this year.
Big V has announced that if COVID-19 restrictions continue through to Monday, September 13, finals will not go ahead, and no winner will be crowned in any competition.
“[The] deadline dates are in place to ensure athletes are provided an opportunity to train together in the week leading up to the finals commencing,” Big V said in a statement.
“While the league would like to provide a more extended training opportunity prior to the commencement of finals, we do not have the luxury of additional weeks to complete the season. “The overwhelming response to the ‘latest completion date’ for the season was 18-19 September, via survey response.”
Coach Cameron Wilkosz said the team would be very disappointed if they don’t get the chance to play finals.
“It’s hard because they had to start at the bottom again,” he said.
“If [we’d have] won division 2, we would’ve moved up to division 1.
“I get it [the decision to possibly not letting finals go ahead], but from our standpoint, the girls are saying we’ve worked so hard.
“They just want that recognised.”
Wilkosz said that whilst the club is like a family, where everyone pulls their weight, there were some standouts throughout the season.
“Jaylen-Rose Hawea, our shooting guard, who’s ninth in league for rebounding, is just a force of nature,” he said.
“She’s second in the league in assists, and she leads in steals.
“She’s amazing.
“Reyhan Aziz, she averages a double double, which is just an incredible thing that I hope she holds her head high about.
“And Sharna Appleby, she just lights up the board every week.
“She’s fifth in the league in scoring, and that’s her coming into a new club this year.
“The reason that we have been so good is that there’s so many people you have to stop on our team.”
This season marks Wilkosz’s first with the club.
Wilkosz said it has been a great experience that came with a slight learning curve.
“These girls, and the whole club in general, have been so welcoming,” he said.
“They made it easy from the start.
“They’re one of the most welcoming clubs and groups of people I’ve ever been a part of.
“The talent level that these guys have, quite a few of them should be playing at a higher level.
“They’re quite an offensive group… I’m a defensive coach, but I’ve had to swallow my pride a bit and let them have that power at the other end.”
Pending restrictions, the Gators will face Wallan in the first semi-final on Saturday, September 11 with the grand final to be played on Sunday, September 12.
